Shrewsbury conman cheated grieving couple
A supposedly reformed criminal and charity worker conned a grieving couple who had set up a foundation in their son's memory.
Michael and Claire O'Brien described Simon Davey as a "shyster" and "despicable" after he pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud.
Davey, who several years ago served an eight-month prison term for defrauding his employer out of £17,000, spent a year posing as the O'Briens' friend, only to con them out of nearly £300.
The couple founded the Dylan O'Brien Foundation following the death of their four-month old son from bronchial pneumonia and an undiagnosed metabolic condition in June 2010. Kelly Crowe, prosecuting at Telford Magistrates Court, said that Davey had befriended the Welsh couple via a Facebook page that they had set up for the charity.
She said the defendant had "targeted vulnerable victims" and "gained their trust for a substantial amount of time".
Over 12 months Davey had pretended to help them and told the couple about a black-tie corporate sponsor event that was being organised in London for charities to solicit donations, she added. Mrs Crowe said the couple considered the £250 fee for taking part in the event to be reasonable, given the exposure it would give them, and had given Davey the money to sign them up, plus £49 for a banner.
"As it grew nearer they were concerned they were hearing very little from the defendant," Mrs Crowe said.
The couple contacted the police, initially because they were worried about the welfare of Davey. But were informed that he had become an inmate at HMP Birmingham and that they had not been booked into the corporate event.
Davey, originally from Shrewsbury, gave his address as Arthur Road, Tipton, when he pleaded guilty to two charges of fraud by false representation. The court was told that in June 2014 he had been given a six-month sentence for similar matters. He will be sentenced later at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
In 2012 Davey described himself as a reformed criminal who worked to help former prisoners. He met with Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski to discuss help for released prisoners.
Mr O'Brien said: "He almost destroyed the launch of our charity. If it wasn't for the generosity and donations from the public we would have gone under."
